Cancer trial recruitment fell by 60% last year during pandemic

Abstract In children with cancer, specific clinical features such as physical anomalies, occurrence of cancer in young relatives, specific cancer histologies, and unique mutation/methylation signatures may indicate the presence of an underlying cancer predisposition syndrome (CPS). The proportion of children with a cancer type suggesting a CPS among all children with cancer is unknown. To determine the proportion of children with cancer types suggesting an underlying CPS among children with cancer. We evaluated the number of children with cancer types strongly associated with CPS diagnosed in Germany between 2007 and 2016. Data were obtained from various sources including two national pediatric pathology reference laboratories for brain and solid tumors, respectively, various childhood cancer trial offices as well as the German Childhood Cancer Registry. Among 21,127 children diagnosed with cancer between 2007 and 2016, 2554 (12.1%) had a cancer type strongly associated with a CPS. The most common diagnoses were myelodysplastic syndrome and juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia, retinoblastoma, malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor, infantile myofibromatosis, medulloblastomaSHH, rhabdoid tumor as well as atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor. Based on cancer type only, 12.1% of all children with cancer have an indication for a genetic evaluation. Pediatric oncology patients require access to genetic counselling and testing.

Download Full-text

The UPTAKE study: implications for the future of COVID-19 vaccination trial recruitment in UK and beyond

Trials ◽

10.1186/s13063-021-05250-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Sonika Sethi ◽

Aditi Kumar ◽

Anandadeep Mandal ◽

Mohammed Shaikh ◽

Claire A. Hall ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Online Survey ◽

Age Groups ◽

Small Towns ◽

Vaccine Uptake ◽

Effective Vaccine ◽

Trial Recruitment ◽

Trial Management ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Study Results ◽

The Future

Abstract Background Developing a safe and effective vaccine will be the principal way of controlling the COVID-19 pandemic. However, current COVID-19 vaccination trials are not adequately representing a diverse participant population in terms of age, ethnicity and comorbidities. Achieving the representative recruitment targets that are adequately powered to the study remains one of the greatest challenges in clinical trial management. To ensure accuracy and generalisability of the safety and efficacy conclusions generated by clinical trials, it is crucial to recruit patient cohorts as representative as possible of the future target population. Missing these targets can lead to reduced validity of the study results and can often slow down drug development leading to costly delays. Objective This study explores the key factors related to perceptions and participation in vaccination trials. Methods This study involved an anonymous cross-sectional online survey circulated across the UK. Statistical analysis was done in six phases. Multi-nominal logistic models examined demographic and geographic factors that may impact vaccine uptake. Results The survey had 4884 participants of which 9.44% were Black Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME). Overall, 2020 (41.4%) respondents were interested in participating in vaccine trials; 27.6% of the respondents were not interested and 31.1% were unsure. The most interested groups were male (OR = 1.29), graduates (OR = 1.28), the 40–49 and 50–59 age groups (OR = 1.88 and OR = 1.46 respectively) and those with no health issues (OR = 1.06). The least interested groups were BAME (OR = 0.43), those from villages and small towns (OR = 0.66 and 0.54 respectively) and those aged 70 and above (OR = 1.11). Conclusions In order to have a vaccination that is generalisable to the entire population, greater work needs to be done in engaging a diverse cohort of participants. Public health campaigns need to be targeted in improving trial recruitment rates for the elderly, BAME community and the less educated rural population.

Download Full-text

Informed Consent and Voluntariness: Balancing Ethical Demands During Trial Recruitment

AJOB Neuroscience ◽

10.1080/21507740.2020.1867667 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 83-85

Author(s):

Cassandra J. Thomson ◽

Rebecca A. Segrave ◽

Adrian Carter

Keyword(s):

Informed Consent ◽

Trial Recruitment

Download Full-text

Using social media to recruit study participants for a randomized trial for hypertension

European Heart Journal - Digital Health ◽

10.1093/ehjdh/ztaa010 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 71-74

Author(s):

Lida Feyz ◽

Yale Wang ◽

Atul Pathak ◽

Manish Saxena ◽

Felix Mahfoud ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Randomized Trial ◽

Recruitment Strategies ◽

Trial Recruitment ◽

Efficient Strategy ◽

Time Period ◽

The Usa ◽

Study Participants ◽

Recruitment Period

Abstract Aims The present study aimed to evaluate the potential of social media as an approach to recruit hypertensive subjects. Methods and results In addition to conventional trial recruitment, Facebook ads were run. Over a 115-day recruitment period, Facebook reached 5.3 million people in 168 separate campaigns run in the proximity of 19 sites in the USA and 14 sites in Europe. A total of 182 839 participants (3.4%) clicked on the ad; of those 10 483 subjects (5.7%) completed a dedicated questionnaire. This resulted in 3632 potential candidates. A total of 285 potential candidates were recruited by various recruitment strategies in the specified time period, of which 184/285 (64.6%) came from Facebook. When comparing Facebook with a 7-day radio spot in the same time period, 48 radio spots were launched; resulting in nine inquiries with eventually five potential candidates and two consents. Conclusion Targeted social media was a successful and efficient strategy to recruit hypertensive subjects.

Download Full-text